For many final year students, the time leading to graduation and the start of a new life after is a mixture of hope, anxiety and uncertainty. This is the time you are trying to complete your University education while dealing with the demands of job hunting and facing the reality of the end of your campus education, that is at least for the foreseeable future.
Many final year students shy off when asked what they plan to do next after finishing school. I asked a group of final years why this was so and this is what they had to say;
“Family members are always asking what I want to do after campus and honestly, I’m not sure yet”
“The fear of unemployment makes me very uneasy”
“This will be my first time being on my own and I still don’t know how to go about that”
“Some of my classmates are going abroad, others have dropped off campus to run their own business while am still waiting to download the latest episode of game of thrones”
How do you cope during this period?
1. Focus on the positives
You are educated and have made it all the way to your final year. You are equipped with experiences to face most obstacles in life. If you doubt yourself you can write down all the accomplishments you have made up to this point and pin it somewhere you can read it regularly.
2. Set Goals and Targets
Have targets and set goals that you want to achieve in your life. At all times, you should know what you want to become in your professional life. Do you want to own your own company? Do you want to travel the world? Do you want to own a house? Do you want to make a change in your home area? Think about this every day and think of how you can achieve them.
3. Take Action
Make sure you make decisive steps to achieve your goals. Break down your goals into daily, monthly, quarterly actionable milestones so that each day you are nearer to your goal. Refine your Curriculum Vitae if you are looking for a job. An exceptional CV, plus a cover letter, is your best chance to wow employers. Your CV should never be an afterthought. Talk to people and network with individuals who can assist you shape your future. Remember, the more action you take, the closer you get to your goals.
4. Friends
For you to succeed you should have good friends. Make friends who help build and support you towards achieving your goals. Avoid people who try and discourage you.
5. Be Resilient
Being resilient is the ability to recover from a difficult situation. Be ready to face any ups and downs. Look for internships. Don’t let rejections from companies and graduate programs bring you down. Every experience in life is a learning opportunity and so every mistake should be taken positively and viewed as a chance to improve.
Goerge Bernard Shaw once said that progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
By Ken Bonyo